Block Party Request Clarifies Previous Stated Requirements

Published: August 10, 2013 @ 12:00 PM EDT

At the June 20th Mayor & Council meeting, a request for a block party – which is usually approved unanimously – was pulled for a question from 1st Ward Councilman Andrew Casais. In previous years, when residents asked what needed to be done to request a street be closed for a private event such as a block party, they were told that a written request would need to be submitted to the governing body along with a list of signatures from a majority of residents on the block where the street was to be closed.

“I really have no objection to it other than the fact that out of the 26 residences that will be effected, 11 signed off on it as being okay with it,” stated councilman Casais, referring to the particular request for the 300 block of Woodland Avneue, “I don’t know if the police chief had a chance to review it any further.”

Mayor Joseph Accardi asked, “Do we know if anybody is opposed to doing the block party? Are the neighbors opposed to it?”

The mayor stated that the police department reviewed and approved the request.

“I really don’t want to make it a huge issue; I’m just saying from what I saw a minority of the people signed off on it,” Coucnilman Casais said, reiterating the past practice told from Borough Hall that a majority of residents on a block would need to sign the request to approve a street closing.

Council-At-Large Carl Hokansons added, “I’ve seen a request come in with only two or three signatures for block parties and street closings. When we used to have mine, I used to get four or five and that was it.”

Councilman Casais concluded his comments by saying, “I just wanted to bring it up in case there are any concerns. I’m satisfied with the police having reviewed it.”